Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1887-08-06
JOHN ERICSSON.

10 us the lie OF JOnn EricssOn 10 ohO
of the most beautiful imaginable. 1t
has been spent in the investigation OF
natures secrets and in putting in action
natures tremendous forces, and so
quietly has it moved on that now at
eighty.four he seems to be unconscious
of the fight of time. He seems to have
received no summons to begin to wind up
his affairs; the in6rmities which usually
come with age seem to wait outside his
gate; nothing has entered to call a halt
to his faculties, or to disturb the peace
of his life's afternoon. 1t would not be
strange if the machinery of his frame
were to run down and stop without one
broken wheel, and without a jar. One
of these days when all the present gen.
Grafton shall have passed away, some
gifted soul will set to words the mighty
drama of our civil war. 1t will be
shown how it was planned by unseep
powers, how the stage was set up ny
them, the scenes shifted and the mighty
acts called. Among those actors John
Ericsson will be a principal star. There
will, in the shadow, be outlined the
great fleets of England and France being
prepared quietly for war; there will be
outlined here and there, in the inland
waters of our country, dangerous look
ing ironclads being urged to completion,
and alarmed Justice will be asking what
can be done to evade the impending
peril. Then Fate will summon John
Ericsson and will answer: "He is
enough. With the hammer in his hand
he will sink all the hostile n~avies; he
will destroy all those ironclads, for to
that work / shall direct his mind and he
shall be my executor" When Sheridan
rode to Cedar Creek, turned the tide of
battle and from a seeming defeat wrought
a triumph, that was genius and courage.
When Thomas flung his command, un-
supported in the path of the onsweeping,
exultant and overwhelming enemy at
Chickamauga, arrested it's progress and
saved the Northern army; that was
genius and august soldierly devotion.
When Morris with his command went
down with the fated "Cumberland y
disdaining to surrender, firing their last
broadside as the hungry sea was running
into their guns and cheering under the
very shadow Of death; that was a act
the sublimity of which gave to their
countrymen a new respect the world
around. When the Monitor. in the
very stress of the Union fleets defeat,
steamed into Hampton Roads; that wal
Providence. There was where Fate's
messenger fulfilled the trust that had
been given into his hands. When the
news Of that days work was flashed Ut
der the sea the men of England
and France looked into each other
faces and knew that the shots which had
crippled the "Merrimac |" had also sunl
all their mighty wooden walls. The
marvellous old man who accomplished
this feat was even then three score years
of age; an age when most Americana
have finished their work. But this mar
has worked twenty.four years since and
still continues his labors. Indeed it il
not labor, it is second nature and a per
petual Joy to him. 1t would be q grace
full act if Congress should order, when il
meets, that ON every succeeding birthday
while he lives. an especial honor should
be paid him. Other lands honor theil
scientists and reward eminent services.
John Ericsson has extraordinary claims
for both his scientific triumphs and for
services rendered. To estimate what he
did we have only to try to estimate what
might have been had he not lived.-Sali
Lake Tribune.